Research study launched to find the best way to give blood transfusions for severely injured patients

Intravenous news: News Medical report “Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) are launching a new research study to find the best way to give blood transfusions for severely injured patients predicted to require massive blood transfusions upon arrival to the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center emergency department. Bryan Cotton, M.D., of UTHealth is principal investigator for this clinical study.

The purpose of this study is to help determine which blood transfusion combination will provide the best outcomes for the trauma patients receiving them. The two blood transfusion combinations which are a) 1 unit of red blood cells: 1 unit of plasma:1 unit of platelets compared to b) 2 units of red blood cells: 1 unit of plasma: 1 unit of platelets. Both combinations are in widespread use across the United States. This study will be conducted at 12 Level 1 trauma centers across the United States and Canada. Cotton and his team will be a part of this research team which will look at the resulting information to see if using one combination of blood products or the other can possibly increase the chances of survival and reduce complications.”